


Back in Sync

by imaginationofadreamer



Category: Dawson's Creek
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2019-10-05 04:40:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17318261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginationofadreamer/pseuds/imaginationofadreamer
Summary: Set four years after the finale. A wedding brings Pacey and Andie back to Capeside.





	1. The Call

**Buzz- Buzz- Buzz**

Pacey slowly opens his eyes as the buzzing from his phone shakes him out of his sleep-induced haze. Without bothering to check who it is, he groggily reaches for the phone, pressing it to his ear and closing his eyes.

“This better be good.” he mutters.

“I’m getting married, little brother!” Doug’s level of excitement and, frankly, very loud voice causes Pacey to open his eyes again and perk up a little. “Wait a minute Dougie”, he says. “You mean to tell me you’re gay?!” He chuckles as he hears his big brothers’ annoyance and rubs his eyes.

“Ha. Ha. Very funny little bro.” says Doug. “I asked Jack last night and he said yes. I’m getting married.”  
Pacey smiles and begins to get out of bed. “Congratulations Doug.” He listens to Doug explain how the proposal went and looks at the clock. It’s 8:26 AM on a Saturday in October, 2012. As he opens his blinds, he feels the (very) bright Florida sun on his face and looks at the docks below. Ever since he moved into his condo just minutes away from Miami Beach six months ago, he never took his view for granted.

Doug chuckles over the phone. “As you can imagine, Jack’s already posted it on Facebook, which you would know if…”

Pacey sighs and interrupts him. “Dougie, please don’t get into the whole spiel about how I should get Facebook so I can keep in touch with the wonderful things that are going on in everyone’s lives. After a few years of your groveling, it gets old.”

“Dad has Facebook for God’s sake.” says Doug. “Wait, hold on, Jack wants to talk to you.”

Pacey hears Jack take the phone. “Future brother in law, what’s happening?”  
Pacey smiles. “Congratulations Jack. It’s about time my idiot brother asked you. I’m happy for both of you.” He can hear the smile in Jack’s voice. “Thank you, thank you. Happiest night of my life. First person I told was Andie, she freaked out of course.”

Pacey smiles at the mention of her name. “And how is our lady Mcphee doing these days?”

“She’s great. She’s officially a doctor. She’s working at a physician’s office in Boston now. She loves it. Which you would know if you kept in touch once in a while, with everyone. You don’t have to be such a lone wolf, you know.”

Pacey scoffs and heads to the kitchen to prepare a cup of coffee. “Jack Mcphee, I am offended. We’ve seen each other a few holidays. I happily upgraded from my can of cranberry sauce and contributed a very tasty green bean casserole last Thanksgiving. Your lack of remembrance pains me.”

Jack chuckles. “You’re on speaker with me & Doug. And you know what I mean. You’re there one night and gone by the next. Few and far between.”

Pacey nods slowly, feeling guilty. “I know.” he says. Admittedly, he’d been keeping to himself the last three of the four years since Jen’s death. His relationship with Joey, along with their New York living arrangement, ended a year after they all reunited in Capeside. After that happened, he sought the sun. He booked a one-way flight to Miami, FL, rented a room for a few months and began working on boats again in a shop by the Miami Beach docks. As his credibility and his referrals grew, he decided to become his own boss and open up his own boat repair shop. He called it “Pacey’s.” The success of that helped him buy his first condo and here he was now, 29 years old, single, enjoying the Florida sunshine and, most notedly, the women. But he could admit to himself, he could do a much better job of keeping in touch and checking in more often. And for that, he feels guilty.

“So, Pacey,” says Doug. “I think now would be the perfect time to ask this very important question.” He hears Amy yell “Uncle Pacey!” in the background.  
Pacey smirks. “The suspense is killing me Dougie, just spit it out will ya?”

Doug takes a breath. “Will you be my best man?”  
Pacey laughs. “Big brother, it would be an honor.”

He hears laughter and excited talks of planning the date and decorations and engagement parties and he starts to wonder just what he’s gotten himself into here just as Doug says “Pace yourself little brother, my wedding is going to be a fun ride.”


	2. The Reunion

Chapter 2- The Drive  
Andie takes another sip of hot coffee and stretches her neck. A car ride from Boston to Capeside takes four hours and she has about thirty minutes left. She opens the window just a smidge and lets the cold November air hit her. Could she have taken a flight? Yes. But she needed the drive. Driving has always helped her clear her head. She smiles as she notices the first snow flakes coming down.  
There was nothing like this time of year in Massachusetts. The cold weather, the snow, the feeling of being cozy and settling in. It was her favorite time of year. It was a few days before Thanksgiving, 2012. Jack scheduled his engagement party for the first weekend of December and, since she had more than enough time to take off from work (her boss practically pushed her out the door), she decided to make it a two-week trip.  
It couldn’t have come at a better time, this tiny getaway from Boston. It had been 6 months since she broke up with her boyfriend of two years, Matt (she caught him cheating). Ever since their relationship ended, she had been feeling like it was time to take a break, time to get away. But she never did it. She worked and slept and worked and slept, hung out with her friends when she could, went out on a few dates here and there and did she mention worked and slept?  
When Jack called her with the news last month and asked her to be his “best woman”, she was ecstatic. Frankly, after four years, it was about time Doug asked him. Jack was going to be a Witter. Jack Mcpee-Witter. She smiles as the thought of Pacey comes into her head. Pacey Witter. Her first everything. She hasn’t seen him since around the time of Jen’s death. She heard news of him, of course. Jack has always kept her in the loop. She knew his relationship with Joey fell apart. She knew he moved to Florida not long after that, and she suspects the heartbreak from his split with Joey kept him away in the Sunshine State for a few family holiday events. And last holiday season, she spent with Matt and his family. Somehow, despite the fact that their brothers were in a relationship, she and Pacey just kept missing each other. But not this time. Jack had already given her the 4-1-1 that Pacey was going to be in town for Thanksgiving and participating in the wedding as Doug’s’ best man.  
It was going to be really good to see him.  
She smiles as she drives past the sign. “Capeside- 20 miles”.  
Pacey is just about to grab another beer in the fridge when he hears Jack yell “She’s here!” He leaps off the couch, throws open the door and runs outside. Pacey chuckles and follows.  
From his viewpoint as she hugs Jack, the first thing he notices is her hair and how long it is. It’s the longest he’s ever seen it. He smiles and runs down the steps. “Andie!” he calls.  
“Pacey!” she yells. He lifts her off the ground and twirls her around. She laughs.  
“It’s so good to see you.” he says, as she hugs him in return.  
“It’s good to see you too Pacey.” she says.  
He releases her and takes a look at her. “Look at you, you look great! Boston does you well.”  
She smirks and cocks her head. “I can say the same about you. Looks like someone’s been tanning.”  
He laughs and throws his arm over her shoulder. “I think it’s about time we did some catching up, Mcphee.”


	3. The Secret

Andie spit out her drink and laughed, loud and boisterous as Pacey laughed alongside her. “I’ll never forget Jack’s face!” said Pacey and he downed the rest of his drink. After having dinner with Doug, Jack and four-year-old Amy after Andie arrived, which included a lot of catching up and great conversation (as much as you can have with a four year old around), she and Pacey decided to hit the town. A lot had been built over the years and she and Pacey had a lengthy, albeit tipsy, conversation over the tragedy of the video store being turned into a T-Mobile. That conversation turned into a trip down memory lane as the two recalled the day Jack’s towel slipped off after a day at the beach back in sophomore year.

They were just outside a fairly new bar called “Cape”, overlooking the water. The DJ was playing good music and Andie and Pacey were feeling more than tipsy. She was still laughing when she heard the DJ from inside.

“Alright folks, I hope everyone’s having a good time tonight! And now, we take it back a bit as we start what we like to call, the 90’s hour. Let’s start it off with a little romance, shall we?”

_“Kiss me, out of the bearded barley_

_Nightly, beside the green green grass._

_Swing Swing…..”_

She heard the familiar tune and her eyes widened as she drew a hand to her mouth. “Oh my God, Pacey!!! Do you remember this?”

Pacey groaned, feigning annoyance. “How could I forget? 1998 study sessions in your room and endless cycles of this damn song being played over and over and over and over.” Pacey glanced at her. “Don’t you dare start singing!”

“I’ll do you one better Witter.” she said and started towards him as Pacey backed up, laughing. “Oh, no no no no no Mcpheeeeee. I am not dancing.” He backed up further, tripped over his own two feet and fell on the grass near a bench as onlookers passed by.

Andie doubled over in laughter. “You fell on your ass!” Not even trying to get up, Pacey just continued lying on the grass, laughing. “We are so drunk Mcphee. We can’t driveeee!” he proclaimed and attempted to get up.

Andie clumsily extended her hand and helped him up. “We walked remember?” she said. Pacey laughed. “Smart idea! Smart idea to walk. Who came up with that plan, did I come up with that plan cuz I gotta tell you, THAT was a smart plan!” he proclaimed and sat down on the bench, looking out at the water.

Andie finished her drink, threw it in the trash and, not very graciously, slumped down beside him.

They sat in silence for a few minutes and, her head feeling fuzzy, Andie placed her head on his shoulder.

Pacey let out a sigh and could see his breath in wisps, the cold air nipping at him. “We should go before we fucking freeze to death on this bench. It will be all over the papers. I can see it now. “Police Chief’s brother frozen to park bench.””

Andie chuckled. “I don’t wanna lift my head. Your shoulder is too comfortable.” Pacey smirked, his head hazy and glanced down at Andie. Playfully, he arched his shoulder up so her head followed suit. “Stop!” she exclaimed and playfully slapped him on the shoulder.

With her so close, he could smell a vanilla-like scent. His eyes getting droopy, he shook his head and stood up, extending his hand to her. “As comfortable as sleeping on this bench would be, we do have beds that our brothers are graciously providing.” As she took his hand, he paused and furrowed his brows. “Speaking of our brothers. With them getting married, does that make us….”

Andie interrupted him. “Too drunk to think about it.”

* * *

 

After more than a few attempts to get the key inside the lock, they were finally inside Doug and Jack’s house. Andie glanced at her phone. It was 3:00AM. They closed the door behind them and began the uncoordinated process of taking their coats and shoes off. Pacey knocked into a piece of furniture and they both shushed each other, giggling.

As quietly as they could considering their state, they went up the stairs, using their phones as flashlights. Pacey tripped at the last stair and Andie laughed. “Shh!” he exclaimed. “If we wake up Amy, we’re dead.”

Doug and Jack had lived in their home for the better part of two years. It had four bedrooms, providing Pacey and Andie with their own rooms across the hall from each other. Their phones still in hand, they let the cell light guide them, not wanting to turn on the hall light and wake up Doug & Jack.

Andie stubbed her toe on a table. “Fuck!” she exclaimed, and Pacey placed his hand over her mouth, quieting her. She groaned in pain through his mouth and he chuckled. Andie proceeded to playfully bite his hand. “Ow!” he whispered, taking his hand away from her mouth. He stumbled into her and found himself awfully close to her.

He smelled the vanilla again. He looked at her through hazy and fuzzy eyes to find her own staring back at him.

Suddenly, a light turned on in the hallway. Jack stood on the far end of the hall, rubbing his eyes. “Yeah, nice job on keeping it down.” he said.

Pacey stepped away from Andie as she chuckled. “Says the man who would wake up if a fly entered the room.”

“Ha. Ha. How I’ve missed you, little sister.” said Jack sarcastically.

Andie smiled. “And I you, little “brother. Now, I’m going to bed before I fall asleep during this very conversation.” She glanced at Pacey. “Goodnight.”

“Night.” said Pacey as Andie entered her room, closing the door behind her.

Jack and Pacey looked at each other for a few seconds until Jack sighed. “You better not throw up on my sheets. They’re new. Goodnight.” And with that, he shut off the light and went back toward the bedroom.

Pacey chuckled and let himself into his room, closing the door behind him. As he fell onto his bed, he glared up at the ceiling, his thoughts hazy and recalling the nights events.

He couldn’t explain why. Perhaps it was the drinks or the conversations of old times he had tonight, but a memory from long ago came to his mind…

* * *

 

_ Thanksgiving Night, 1999 _

Pacey sat in his car and glanced at his watch. It was 10:30PM. He looked at her window, curtains drawn. She was probably asleep. Or maybe she was watching tv. He sighed. To say that today was a particularly difficult day for him was an understatement. She wasn’t supposed to be there. Looking so beautiful as she always does in purple, with her apple pie. It broke his heart to see the tears in her eyes as Jack told them neither of them was going anywhere. It broke his heart to sit next to her by the campfire with the rest of them as they chatted and ended the day as a group. After they all parted, Pacey went home and attempted to busy his mind with nonsense tv programming in the living room, avoiding the sheer inevitability of family nonsense. When that didn’t work, he grabbed himself a beer from the fridge (his dad was good for something after all) and went on the porch. Some time after that, he found himself grabbing his car keys and driving. And here he was now, outside of ex-girlfriend’s home.

He sniffed as he thought about their last conversation prior to today. Where he straight flat out lied to her face and told her something as awful as she wasn’t the one for him. How they could never be repaired. He cried himself to sleep that night. He remembered he could barely breath getting through that conversation. Truth was, he _missed_ her. He had never felt so much pain. Sleepless nights, endless dreams of her. He missed making her laugh. He missed spinning her around. He missed her endless faith in him. He missed the way her sea colored eyes would look at him with so much love. He missed this girl he loved so much.

He wiped a single tear from his face, and briskly got out of the car. He looked up at her window again and the side he climbed up the night he told her he loved her for the first time. He still did. He found his feet moving toward the side of the house. He looked up. Her window was just above. He would do this. He would stop fighting, liquid courage and all.

As he began to climb, he heard a voice behind him. “Pacey?” asked Jack.

Pacey startled. “Why would you sneak up on me like that?” he asked.

Jack glared at him. “You do realize this is my house. I saw you parked outside. What are you doing here?”

Pacey looked at the ground, taking a breath. “I miss her, Jack. I need to see her.”

There was silence between them as Jack contemplated what to say. “She cries for you, you know. At night. She thinks I don’t know, but I know.”

Pacey nodded. “I know what you mean.” His own nights of seemingly endless tears and sheer pain are something he has started to accept can be considered normal.

Jack looks down at the ground a moment. “She’s in a lot of pain. Especially with what you told her a few nights ago. It killed her Pacey.”

Pacey sighed. “And what do you think it did to me, Jack? To have to say it even though….” he paused.

“Even though what Pacey?” asked Jack. “Have you been drinking?”

Pacey shook his head. “That’s neither here nor there. I need to say this to her.” As he turned, Jack grabbed his shoulder. “No.” he said.

Pacey furrowed his brows. “No?”

Jack ran a hand through his hair as he chose his next words carefully. “No.” he said. Firmer this time. “I know that she hurt you. She made a huge mistake and she’s told me so countless of times. But I’ve never seen her in so much pain Pace. And I know you’re feeling the same thing, I know. I get that. But she’s my sister and I can’t bear the thought of her being in any more pain than she’s in right now. What if you decide to end things with her again?”

Pacey gaped. “She broke me!” he yelled. “I didn’t break her! She broke me!” He ran a hand through his hair as tears shone in his eyes.

Jack said nothing. He took a deep breath and stared at Pacey. “Pace, I love you like a brother. I love you for how you love her and how you’ve helped her. But she’s my sister. She’s going through a lot right now. And, as much as I want to let you up there and be her hero and save the day again, I think it’s time she save herself. You have to give her that chance, Pace. If for neither of us, then for her.”

Pacey swallowed the massive lump that was in his throat as he registered Jack’s words. He couldn’t take any more of this pain.

Resignedly, Pacey walked past Jack and back towards his car.

“Hey Pacey?” Jack called after him.

Pacey faced him, waiting.

Jack bit his lip. “I’d appreciate it if you kept this between us.”

Pacey nodded slowly and walked away.

* * *

 

_ Present Day, 2012 _

The memory fading as he dozed off, Pacey finally fell asleep.

 

 

 


	4. The Night Off

_Pacey ran his sweaty palms over his jeans as he glanced at the clock. 11:00 A.M. Tick. Tick. Tick. It was like he could hear the clock get noisier in his own head. He looked around the familiar classroom, empty except for him and Mr. Peterson, who was currently grading his exam at his desk. Pacey took a deep breath, anxious to hear the verdict._   
_Mr. Peterson put down his red pen and stood up slowly. Pacey held his breath. “Well?” he asked. After a beat, Mr. Peterson began to clap. Pacey breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, Andie appeared in the chair next to him. He looked over at her and she smiled. “I knew you could do it. I always believed in you Pacey.” she said as she took his hand in hers._

  
“Uncle Pacey!” he heard. Pacey abruptly opened his eyes to find Amy climbing on him. “Breakfast!” she exclaimed. Pacey groaned, noticing all too soon how much of a headache he had. He heard Doug’s voice. “Amy! We do not wake people up while they sleep, remember? Why don’t you go back downstairs and help Daddy in the kitchen?”  
Amy’s eyes lit up and she was gone faster than Pacey could blink. He groaned. “Did we ever have that much energy?” he mumbled. Doug chuckled and set a glass of water and some Tylenol on the nightstand. “Figured you might need this.” Pacey sat up, rubbing his face. “What time is it?” he asked.

  
Doug opened the curtains, letting in some natural light as Pacey shielded his eyes. “9:15. Now rise and shine, little brother. Breakfast will be ready soon.”  
As soon as Doug left the room, Pacey got up and closed the curtains. 9:15. An ungodly hour, especially when you came home at three in the morning and were presently hungover. He took the Tylenol with a swig of water, rubbed his eyes, and headed toward the bathroom. As he did so, he saw Andie’s door was open and peeked inside.  
She wasn’t in it but, unsurprisingly, he saw her bed was pristinely made. Some things didn’t change. He smiled to himself and then remembered that he really needed to pee.  
He reached to open the bathroom door just as it opened from the inside, revealing Andie in nothing but a towel. She gasped, startled and he turned away quickly. “Sorry!” they said at the same time. They shared an awkward laugh. Pacey gestured for her to pass, and as she did so, the smell of vanilla soap struck him, forcing his eyes to follow her glistening form. She glanced back at him just before shutting her door.

* * *

 

 

Andie glanced at Pacey as he grabbed a can of cranberry sauce from the shelf. “How’s your hangover?” she asked. Pacey smirked. “MY hangover? Don’t you mean OUR hangover? Or do doctors have special remedies that us normal humans don’t know about?”  
She grabbed the cranberry sauce from his hand and placed it back on the shelf. “No cans of cranberry sauce this time, Witter.” They were all at the grocery store stocking up for Thanksgiving dinner. Jack and Doug were hosting at their place this year and, after making lists earlier that morning, there they were.  
Pacey chuckled. “Not to worry, Mcphee. I wouldn’t want to take the attention away from your apple pie. Which, if I remember correctly, is pretty damn good.”  
Andie smirked. Down the aisle, she caught sight of Jack rubbing his temples, looking down at his list while Doug tried to stop Amy from grabbing anything fragile. Poor Jack. Her brother, and Doug to be honest, looked stressed.  
An idea came to mind. “Pacey, look at them.” Pacey followed her gaze. Jack sighed and closed his eyes as Doug repeatedly asked Amy not to touch something.  
“Looks like they could use a night off.” said Pacey. Andie smiled. “Exactly what I was thinking.”

* * *

 

 

“Are you sure?” Jack asked her for the fifth time. Andie rolled her eyes as she continued putting the groceries away. “Jack, so help me, if I have to kick you out of your own house, I will. Of course I’m sure. You guys deserve this. Thanksgiving is only three days away. Your engagement party is next weekend and, honestly, this house will be full of people soon. Take the night off. Stay in that beautiful hotel with your soon to be hubby for the night. We’ll be fine.”  
Jack smiled and hugged her. “You’re the best sister ever.”  
Two hours later, Andie, Pacey and Amy were waving their goodbyes as Jack and Doug drove off. “Call me if you need anything!” yelled Jack out the car window.  
About five seconds after Andie closed the door, Amy yelled “Princess Tea Party!” and took both of their hands, leading them to her room.

 

* * *

 

Later that night, Pacey watched Andie from the doorway as she tucked Amy goodnight and kissed her on her forehead, the little girl’s eyes finally closing in slumber.  
Andie tiptoed out of her room and closed the door behind them. “She looks so much like Jen, it’s crazy.” she said as they went downstairs.  
Pacey nodded. It was true. Amy had her mother’s eyes as well as golden hair. Sometimes it was still hard for him to believe his friend was gone, even after four years. Another pang of guilt hit him as he remembered just how little time he had spent with her in her four years of life. He’d been feeling that way a lot more lately. Little barbs of guilt as he watched Doug and Jack with this little vibrant girl throughout the day.

  
_“You don’t have to be such a lone wolf, you know._ ” Jack had told him that, the night they announced their impending wedding. Andie’s voice shook him out of his thoughts. “Want a beer?” she asked as she opened the fridge.  
He took a seat at the kitchen bar overlooking the sink. “You know, I should say no, considering the amount of alcohol consumed last night but…it’s the holidays, right? Just one though. We are babysitters for the night.”  
Andie laughed, grabbed two beers, and sat next to him.

  
The minutes turned to hours. Every now and then, one of them would get up and check on Amy, who was sound asleep. Or text Jack that, yes, everything was fine. Or get up and pee. And then they would fall back into easy conversation, truly catching up, eventually moving from the kitchen to the living room couch.  
He watched as she got comfortable and laughed as she recalled the story of the night she found out she had passed her licensing exam. “I almost walked right into that pole.” She laughed.  
Pacey shook his head and chuckled. “As if you could fail. I don’t think you’ve failed at anything in your life, Andie.” he said, getting comfortable on the couch himself.  
He noticed her smile falter a bit but before he could question it, she shrugged. “And how’s Florida Mr. big shot? Owning your own company and all. That’s incredible, Pacey.” she said.  
Pacey shrugged it off. “Definitely comes with perks. Like being able to close up shop until I decide otherwise. But Florida’s great. It’s a melting pot. Gorgeous beaches, amazing food. You should visit.”  
Andie raised her eyebrows. “Maybe I will.” She carried herself differently these days. Her hair was longer, brighter somehow than he remembered. And, as she talked about her life in Boston, he felt the urge to tell her so.

  
“You seem to be doing well, Andie. I’m glad.” he said. She looked at him and, in that moment, he knew the both of them were recalling memories of shattered glass and locked bathroom doors.  
She smiled. “Thanks, Pacey. You too. You seem to be doing better since…” she let the sentence hang in the air between them.  
He chuckled. “You can say her name, you know. This isn’t Harry Potter. Although, now that I think about it, they do share the same last name.”  
They both laughed, the joke lifting the slight awkwardness. “But, I’m good. I am. You know, when I was with Joey, even after Jen’s death, there was always this shadow over us. And, if I’m being completely honest, that shadow was Dawson Leery. Ultimately, he was someone I couldn’t live up to, in her eyes. And, towards the end of our relationship, I found myself not wanting to.”

  
Andie listened as he recounted the story of how he and Joey fell apart for the last time. How he found messages between her and Dawson on her Facebook that she had left open. How, even though the brief sentences he read before she caught him showed no signs of anything beyond friendship, it was the catalyst to the big fight that ultimately ended with him being tired of coming second and her finally admitting that he was.  
He hadn’t seen her since and got off of social media soon after. But of course, he heard that she and Dawson were together. And he was okay with it. Truly. Now that he had time to reflect, he didn’t like the person he had become when he was with Joey. Someone constantly seeking to be her number one, her approval. He already knew she had RSVP’d to Jack’s engagement party next weekend, no doubt with Dawson in tow. He remembered telling Dawson, long ago, that he wasn’t the third wheel type. And he was happy he could say that about himself again.  
They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments until Pacey yawned at glanced at his phone, his eyes widening. “Mcphee, we’ve been talking for almost three hours.”  
Andie stifled a yawn. “Yawns are contagious, you know.” she said and slapped him playfully on the arm. She stood up and pulled him off the couch and he followed her upstairs.  
They checked on Amy one more time and stopped outside of their respective rooms, just across from each other.  
He couldn’t say why but the memory of catching Andie in her towel earlier that morning slipped into his mind. He quickly mumbled “Goodnight, Andie.” and went into his room, closing the door behind him. He leaned his forehead against the closed door and heard her whisper “Goodnight Pacey.”


	5. The Deja Vu

"Shit, Andie!" Jack yelled as he put down his drink and ran after her, Pacey on his heels. Andie shut the door to the

bathroom in Jack's face and, as he watched Jack knock and plead with Andie to open the door, Pacey could have sworn it was 1999

again. The scene was too familiar.

_"Open this door. Come out, and choose me."_

Jack sighed. "Andie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to find out like this. Please open up." he pleaded through the door.

With a fierce motion, Andie yanked the door open and stared Jack down. "How could you?" Tears streamed down her face.

"How could you do something like that Jack?" Jack took a deep breath and took the opportunity to let himself into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Pacey nodded politely and smiled at the few family members who passed by the bathroom as the minutes passed, curious looks on their faces as the voices of Andie and Jack arguing inside the bathroom grew louder.

"Nothing to see here. Happy Thanksgiving!" Pacey said cheerfully.

He could hear it all:

Andie: How dare you? You knew how much I loved him! You knew how lost I was without him and you stopped him? He came back to me and you stopped him, Jack. You heard me cry myself to sleep for months!

Jack: I know. I'm so sorry Andie. I just wanted to protect you. And I look back now, and I know I shouldn't have...

Andie: And you kept this from me? Were you ever going to tell me that you ripped my future apart?! Or would you have just taken this little secret to your grave?! Do you have any idea the pain I was in?!

At this point, Pacey opened the door and allowed himself in, closing the door behind him. Andie sat on the side of the tub, wiping away her tears angrily as Jack hung his head across from her, running a hand repeatedly through his hair.

Pacey took a breath and held his hands up. "Okay. We've all been drinking. Let's just take a breath because our dear family members are starting to hear you."

"Oh, I'm suddenly very sober." said Jack quietly.

Andie shook her head and looked at Pacey. "Get out, Pacey. Please. You're not helping the situation at all."

"Wait a minute, how did I become the bad guy here?" he asked.

Andie stood then and yelled, frustration evident in her voice and her cheeks lightly flushed. "Because you let me go! Because you didn't fight for us!"

More tears welled in her eyes and she wiped them away as they started to fall. "And all I can think about right now is when you told me I would never lose you, not ever. Remember that, Pacey?" she asked.

The silence in the room was palpable. The air suddenly charged. The tension could be cut with a knife.

_"You're not gonna lose me. Not now and not ever."_

Pacey swallowed the lump in his throat at the memory. Here they were. Thirteen years after their relationship ended, at almost 30 years old, were they about to have the argument they never got the chance to have? An argument he never allowed?

Someone knocked on the door just then and a second later, Doug entered. "What the hell is going on in here?" he asked, looking between the three of them.

Andie turned her head and quickly wiped her remaining tears away. "Nothing." She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry Doug. Would you mind telling everyone a Happy Thanksgiving? I'm going to bed."

She left the bathroom before anything else could be said. Frankly, Pacey didn't think he or Jack knew what to say to her anyway.

Doug sighed. "So much for a drama-free Thanksgiving."


	6. The Morning After

  
Andie watched the leaves fall gracefully from the trees from her room window. The sky was gray. The leaves brittle. She could  
feel the cold through the glass. The weather matched her mood. She chewed the inside of her lip as she thought, yet again,   
of the events from the night before. Needless to say, she hadn't slept well and, to top it off, she had a headache.

She glanced at the clock on the wall. 8:24AM. Just as she was considering going for a drive before everyone woke up,   
she heard a knock at her door.

"Andie?" asked Jack. She rolled her eyes and said nothing. He knocked again and, after a few seconds, slowly opened the door,  
peeking inside. "Can I come in?" he asked.

Andie sighed. "It is your home, after all."

Jack closed the door behind him. "I'm so sorry, Andie." he said. "I never meant for you to find out like that."

She raised her eyebrows. "I don't think you meant for me to find out at all, Jack." she said. She sat on her bed and looked  
up at him. "I just keep thinking about what would have happened if you had just let him come up to my room. If you had just let him   
climb up that ladder. I am so hurt by you taking that opportunity away from me. It may have happened a long time ago, but for me,  
just finding out about this now, it brings the pain right back. And you know how much I loved him, Jack. How could you do that?"

Jack sat down on the bed next to her. "I know. I was an idiot and I never should have interfered. I was angry with him.  
I didn't want him to hurt you. We both remember that night you came home sobbing."

How could she forget? It was the night she made a picnic for them and found him working on True Love. The night he destroyed her  
when he told her she wasn't the one.

"Still." Andie said. "You had no right. I understand your wanting to protect me. But you took that moment away from me. The moment  
he climbed that ladder, told me what he wanted to say. Part of me will always wonder now. And I resent you for that right now, Jack."

Jack nodded. "What can I do?" he asked.

Andie took a deep breath. "Tell me what happened that night. Every bit of it."

* * *

Pacey took a deep breath, but before he could knock, Andie's door opened and there was Jack, Andie behind him sitting on her bed.

"Sorry." said Pacey. "I didn't know..." Jack cut him off. "I was just leaving. She's all yours." he said, slapping   
Pacey on the back as he closed the door behind them.

"Hi." said Pacey.  
"Hi." said Andie.

Pacey fiddled his fingers and cleared his throat. "I..." he began.  
"Let me go first." interrupted Andie. She motioned for him to sit down.

She took a deep breath and picked at the fleece on her pajamas as he sat next to her.   
"I'm sorry, Pacey. For last night. It wasn't fair of me to be so upset with you. It's really Jack's doing. Not yours."

Pacey nodded. All last night, he kept thinking about that moment he told her that she would never lose him. It replayed, along with a million other little memories,  
in his head, keeping him up for quite some time.

He cleared his throat again. "No need to apologize."

Andie smiled. "Great! Let's just forget about it." She moved to get up.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa there, Mcphee." said Pacey, grabbing her hand as she passed. "Don't you think we should talk?" he asked.   
She glanced at their hands and Pacey let hers go.

"Not really, no." she said as she opened her closet door, pondering over her choice of wardrobe. "How cold do you think it will be outside?" she asked.

Pacey put a finger on his chin, pretending he was thinking. "Hm. Let me see. 20 degrees is likely. So, there's nothing we should discuss here?" he asked.

Andie went through her shirts. "Well, I've already had an emotional conversation this morning. It's not even 9:00 and I havn't had a sip of coffee. So I'll ask you this, Pacey  
Witter, do you feel like that's a road you wanna go down right now?" she asked, one of her eyebrows raised.

"I missed our banter, Mcphee." he said.  
"Same." said Andie.


End file.
